Understanding counselors' implementation of tobacco cessation services with patients

•We investigate availability and implementation of tobacco cessation services (TCS).•Perceived availability of TCS was related with greater TCS implementation.•This relationship was moderated by several indicators of climate for implementation.

This study aimed to understand substance use disorder counselors' implementation of evidence-based tobacco cessation services (TCS) with their patients who smoke. Drawing from an established adoption of innovations framework, we investigated the association between counselors' perceptions of the availability of TCS (both pharmacotherapies and behavioral treatments) in their treatment program and the implementation of TCS (both pharmacotherapies and behavioral treatments) with their patients who smoke and whether this association is moderated by the strength of an organization's climate for implementation and the fit of the innovation with users' values. Data were collected in 2010 from 682 counselors working in 239 treatment programs across the U.S. that offer evidence-based TCS. Mixed-effect models showed that perceived availability of TCS was related with greater TCS implementation. This relationship was moderated by several indicators of climate for implementation but not by the fit of the innovation with users' values.